Description

Dana Spicer ES60-5, CM59, ES60-5A, ES60-5C, ES60-5D Service Manual

If you work on heavy-duty transmissions, you know the feeling of pulling a mainshaft only to find the snap ring groove is worn, and you have no idea what the factory clearance should be. I’ve been there, and aftermarket PDFs won’t save you. This Dana Spicer ES60-5, CM59, ES60-5A, ES60-5C, ES60-5D Service Manual is the real deal – 31 pages straight from Spicer’s engineering group. It tells you the exact oil capacity (17 pints, not a guess), the torque capacity (600 ft-lbs), and the gear ratios for each variant. No fluff, no aftermarket hand-waving.

Specifications and Gear Ratios (Page 2)

Page 2 lays out the GVW up to 65,000 lbs, HP range 175-235, and RPM band 2200-3600. You also get the PTO specs for ES60-5A, ES60-5C, ES60-5D, and even the ES60-5E models that share the same housing. Each gear ratio is listed with the percent step – for example, the A model first gear is 7.17:1, second is 3.88:1, and so on. If you’re swapping a transmission into a different chassis, this page saves you from ordering the wrong PTO adapter.

Shift Tower and Remote Control: What the Manual Covers

Section III and IV break down the shift tower and remote control assembly. The exploded drawing on page 8 is clear enough that you can lay out your parts on a bench and not lose a spring. Shifter housing disassembly starts on page 9, and reassembly on page 10. I’ve seen techs skip the detent ball orientation on these units – this manual shows you exactly where the spring seats, so you don’t end up with a stuck rail.

Disassembly Precautions: Why You Read This Section Twice

Page 5 has disassembly precautions. That’s not a suggestion – read it. The manual tells you to mark the shift rail positions before pulling them. After 30 years, I can tell you that one skipped step can add two hours of headache. The case subassembly exploded drawing on page 11 gives you the order of removal: input gear first, mainshaft next. Don’t reverse that sequence unless you enjoy buying new bearings.

Torque Values Are Not a Suggestion

Inspection procedures and torque specifications are on page 20. These are OEM numbers, not some generic chart. I don’t care if you’ve done a hundred Spicers – torque every critical fastener to spec. The input gear retaining nut, the mainshaft nut, the bearing cap bolts – all listed in ft-lbs. Use a calibrated wrench. If you trust aftermarket manuals for torque, you’re gambling with a 600 ft-lbs gearbox. I’ve seen the results of undertorqued mainshaft nuts: gear teeth chewed up and a shop bill that kills your profit margin.

Troubleshooting: 5 Pages of Real-World Problems

Section IX (pages 24-28) is dedicated to troubleshooting. It covers hard shifting, gear clash, noise in neutral, and low oil pressure symptoms. Each symptom has a list of probable causes and the repair action. For example, “Transmission jumps out of gear” – check shift fork clearance, detent spring tension, and synchronizer wear. This section alone justifies the purchase. You don’t need to own a code reader for a manual gearbox; you need a factory troubleshooting flow.

31 Pages: What You Get vs. What You Don’t

This is an original OEM document, not a reprint from a third-party vendor. The paper quality might not matter on your screen, but the consistency of the data does. Aftermarket manuals often copy the gear ratios from a different variant, leading to PTO speed errors. Here, the ES60-5C uses PTO speed 490 per 1000 RPM, while the ES60-5D uses 535. That difference matters when you’re spec’ing a hydraulic pump. The manual also includes the Spicer bulletin numbers (SPR 128, 130, 131) for each PTO option – something generic manuals omit.

Does this manual cover the ES60-5E model?

No. The manual covers ES60-5A, C, D variants only. The E model has different gear ratios listed in the specs, but the disassembly and torque data are shared. Check the PTO section on page 2 for the E model’s speed (535).

How is the torque specification presented? Is it just a table or does it include tightening sequences?

Page 20 lists torque values in ft-lbs for mainshaft nuts, input gear nuts, bearing caps, and shift tower bolts. There is no multi-step tightening sequence – these are single-value torque specs. However, the disassembly sections (pages 15-19) include directional notes for loosening/tightening, such as “hold the mainshaft with a spanner wrench while torquing the nut.” For any sequence (e.g., bearing cap bolts), the manual expects you to follow a star pattern as standard practice – it’s not spelled out, but real mechanics know that. The torque spec table is the final authority.

If you’re rebuilding a Spicer transmission for a fleet truck or your personal off-road rig, you need factory data. I’ve been doing this since 1994, and I don’t rebuild a 600-ft-lb gearbox without the OEM manual on the bench. Aftermarket stuff is fine for a lawnmower transmission – not for a 362-lb chunk of cast iron that moves 65,000 lbs. This manual sits next to my Dana Spicer 1372-A Service Manual – Factory Specs & Rebuild Guide”>Dana Spicer 1372-A Service Manual for the heavier stuff. For the ES46-5 and ES56-5 series, grab the Spicer ES46-5 & ES56-5 Service Manual”>Spicer ES46-5 & ES56-5 Service Manual. And if you work on the smaller ES42-5 or ES52-5, the Spicer ES42-5, ES52-5, CM49 Series Service Manual”>Spicer ES42-5, ES52-5, CM49 Series Service Manual completes your Spicer library. For general theory on how manual transmissions work, Wikipedia’s Manual Transmission”>Manual Transmission article is a decent primer, but it won’t tell you the oil capacity of an ES60-5. Manual Transmission”>Manual Transmission knowledge starts here.

Access the Factory Manual and put it on your tablet or print it out. Either way, you’ll have the spec sheet, torque table, and exploded views that the factory designed. No guesswork, no aftermarket shortcuts – just 31 pages of what you need.